Chelsea Manning files to run for U.S. Senate in Maryland

Source: The Washington Post

By Justin Jouvenal January 13 at 1:31 PM

Chelsea Manning, the transgender former Army private who was convicted of passing sensitive government documents to Wikileaks, has filed to run for the U.S. Senate in Maryland, according to federal election filings.

Manning, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, would be challenging Ben Cardin, who has served two terms in the Senate. He was first elected in 2007.

Manning, 30, who is formerly known as Bradley Manning, was convicted in 2013 of the largest leak of classified documents in U.S. history and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Last year, then President Obama commuted Manningís sentence and she was released from a military prison.

73. And why do we have to set up a situation where we have to promote law breakers, and possible loons

for Congress. There are plenty of competent people who could run, and from what we've been hearing, many are. So why do we have to even consider someone who broke the law (and he/she did regardless of motive), and who has stability issues? We can do better. The fact that President Obama pardoned her has more to do with her mental issues/stability than her fitness to run for Congress. Then on the other hand, Congress seems to have their share of folks who may have their own mental stability issues these days. Dare I say Congressman Nunez.

86. I'm actually just talking about the idea that there should be zero tolerance for primary challenges.

As to the idea that law breakers should not be allowed to stand in our primaries...applied strictly, Andrew Young and Bobby Rush could never have been congressmen, no one who was ever an organizer for the United Farm Workers could ever have run for anything and Tom Hayden could not have had a long and effective career in the California State Senate.

Historically, we'd have had to turn down anybody ever arrested in an antiwar or antiapartheid protest, most suffragettes or abolitionists(had they wished to run as Democrats-in their era they likely wouldn't have, but then again in their era how many of US would have?) or anyone involved of the great strikes in the early history of the American labor movement.

In the 18th and early 19th Century, anybody who signed the Declaration of Independence would have been barred(defying the British Empire was always a violation of the laws of the day).

Whatever you think about Chelsea(I doubt her campaign would actually catch on, and I'm not sure why she decided on a Senate race) those are the implications of a strict "no lawbreakers" policy.

105. Duplicate

106. That would be terrible

Despite what she's been through, knowingly or not, she still sent 750,000 documents to a hostile foreign power. She'd be a terrible candidate, especially with Russia's colaboration with Wikileaks to get Trump elected.

I don't think she has a realistic shot, but still, she would be an embarassment (and maybe dangerous) to the party and country.

15. Since when did the senate become an entry level position?

The moran in the White House is a perfect example of what happens when we elect an "outsider" who hasn't climbed the rungs of politics for higher ofice. There are exceptions of course, like the great Al Franken, but usually jumping into a job without qualification is foolish.

Ms Manning should test the waters at a state level office first to see if she has the chops, not only for politics, but to see if she can even weather the slings and arrows of an election, IMO.

24. +1

69. Members of Congress neither apply for security clearances nor are adjudicated. All classification is

originated in the Executive Branch. The federal judiciary are granted access as needed and members of congress usually have access to to all classified appropriations & authorization legislation; however, most members not in leadership or on intelligence, armed services & appropriations committees tend to avoid going to the secure rooms where classified information is stored, processed & discussed. A Representative or Senator who requests information and is rebuffed by an administration has leverage if their colleagues back them up with respect to delaying/blocking legislation or nominations. But even if they get a contempt vote out of it, the administration just refuses to prosecute it.

27. We have enough Hillary hating bigots in the U.S. Senate.

28. SeriousLy?

Why doesn't she challenge a Con instead that of a seated, valuable Senator? Perhaps as she has never held office she should start with local gov. first. I find it ironic that a person convicted of handing over docs to Wikileaks would challenge one of the few senators who is trying to stop cyber crimes.

ďDemocrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are calling on the Trump administration to vastly expand the U.S. response to Russian interference in elections, with increased sanctions and a new inter-agency body to coordinate government policies.

In a 200-page report commissioned by Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland and released Wednesday, Democratic committee staff describe efforts by Russia to influence elections throughout Europe for years and say many of those countries have made aggressive moves to push back.

With months to go before this yearís midterm elections, the Democrats contend that Washington does not yet have a coherent plan to confront Russian cyber campaigns aimed at disrupting U.S. democracy. Cardin ó a longtime critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin ó said it was time to develop oneĒ.

35. Well, now we know she has a big ego, at least. Not much else would qualify her, though. n/t

36. I smell Trump and his Russian handlers

I also expect Trump and his Russian handlers to try this against every Democratic senator up for election this year: pick people who are so awful I could beat them in November to primary every sitting Democratic senator in this class. With enough crossover voting, some of those individuals could make it to November...at which point they're easy pickings for the GOP.

There is a simple and effective way to counter this, but it's expensive: every damn time one of Trump's plants files to run for the Senate as a Democrat, we have someone whose campaign platform revolves around getting rid of Trump and erasing all the harm he has done file to run as a Republican.

45. Waste of time

While i am no fan of cardin, he doesn't have the fire i want in a rep, and i support bds which he doesn't, this is a waste of time. And as far as andy harris, lone rethug fr md, his district would rather self immolate, than ever vote for a dem

49. pssssh

Why? What experience does Manning have? also, Maryland is not completely progressive democratic anymore. There are many pockets in my state that do vote democrat that are not completely progressive enough to vote for Manning.... The transgender WILL be an issue.

65. I'm calm. She's still unqualified and supporting her for this position is moronic. nt

67. Most likely the guy in there has no more

Business being there than anybody else that cares about dem causes. Times are changing. Virginia was an indicator of what is possible. We don't need the same old lawyers and businessmen who are so called qualified.

70. That sort of attitude led to Trump.

It's important to keep an open mind and accept change. The people you accuse of not voting are the same ones self organizing protests against fascists and trump. This is the dems of the future. Encourage it, the days of tweed coat chin stroking liberals is over.

72. Lee Carter won in VA based on fundamental

Dem issues. It was kids that got him there. He is the real thing, they got out the vote, dems. It happened all over the state, because the candidates actually had the balls to talk substance and mean it.
I used to think the same way as you do for ever, I'm not buying it anymore. These young people have something, they are motivated and they aren't buying the same old bullshit promises while we continue to get fucked by the republicans, the banks and the corporations.

104. Went to jail to reveal Iraq war crimes.

53. No...

Dems need to show they are the party of qualified candidates. I love Manning but Cardin is a fine senator. Manning is no way qualified for this office. She should Run for a lower level office first. Build the qualifications.

56. I voted for Cardin before and will enthusiastically do it again. NT

58. Her job history of doing what is right in impecable

I know we would all rather just pretend the war crimes in Afghanistan never happened and are not still happening. She is obviously a principled person with courage. Subjected to torture for disclosing the truth about our wars. The crimes have not stopped. Here is a little video making the rounds, about 20 sec. into it is the casual murder of an Afgani truck driver for no reason. This is why they hate us. She has the courage to ask the tough questions of our military.

119. but, but Trump .......

120. Seriously.

Case in point. But at least he ran as a republican. Manning the Democrat spells trouble in November any way you slice it and was probably cooked up to draw attention away from the Trump train wreck and give repukes facing reelection a new Nancy Pelosi piŮata.

96. Sow some discord among Democrats, give would-be Cardins down the road who might stand up to them

98. To have discord, you have to have Democrats divided...they won't be

My informed analysis:
- Manning won't have any significant funding to campaign
- Cardin won't even acknowledge Manning as a candidate
- Manning will get less that 10% in the Primary, assuming she stays in

I donít think it will amount to much, but I didnít think Hillary would lose by 74 EVís either.

Our opponents are playing a long game, but you wonít even allow the possibility that sheís been talked into this and/or that her campaign will receive tangible support from people who wish us nothing but harm. Iím not one for tinfoil but Iím glad people are calling bullshit on this candidacy for more than just Manningís nonexistent resume. I find that much healthier than your informed analysis.

114. Nope...

I have no doubt that Russia interfered in the Presidential Election, but there's no evidence they pressed Trump (or any other candidate) to run. And as for Cardin, he's a nice guy, but how is he consequential enough to warrant an attempt to interfere? If I was going to sow chaos, I'd at least pick someone who's a prospective Presidential candidate in 2020. And I'd pick an alternative candidate who'd have some actual prospects.

109. If Chelsea Manning wishes to get involved in Public Service & Politics she should start at the state

...level and run for State Senate or Governor and work hard for her state and then show on a National level that she can represent her state.

I also cannot take her seriously that she would run against Ben Cardin, an excellent Democrat who is also working hard on protecting election integrity and going against the interference of the Russians....

What exactly is Chelsea running on as her platform and why she wants to primary Ben Cardin?